After years of designing homes, renovations, and remodels, I've learned that the best design decisions aren't necessarily the most exciting ones in the moment. They're the ones you still love years later.

Trends can be fun—I certainly enjoy seeing what's new—but when my clients are investing in their homes, I always want to think about longevity, livability, and that wonderful feeling of this feels like us.

Here are five choices I rarely regret recommending.

A little planning now can make the rest of the year feel so much easier.

August always feels like a bit of a transition to me. We’re still enjoying summer, but I can already feel fall coming, and with it, dinners with friends, cooler evenings, holiday gatherings, and that familiar feeling of, How did we get here so quickly?

If you’ve been thinking about refreshing your home, August is actually one of my favorite times to start planning.

One of my favorite things about summer is the incredible variety of flowers that become available. Every week, our local farmers' markets seem to offer something new, and I can't resist bringing a few stems home.

I don't think flower arranging has to be complicated or expensive. In fact, I often find that the simplest arrangements are the most beautiful. It's one of the easiest ways I know to make a home feel fresh and welcoming.

One of the easiest ways to refresh a home is with paint. And while I don't believe in repainting every time a trend appears, summer is a wonderful time to reconsider the colors surrounding us every day.

Here are some of my favorite paint directions for summer interiors.

One of the things I love most about living in Bend is how naturally life flows outdoors in the summer.

The minute the weather warms up, patios become dining rooms, porches turn into morning coffee spots, and evenings seem to stretch on forever around a fire pit. There’s a relaxed rhythm to summer in Central Oregon that I always want homes to reflect.

Every summer, I notice the same thing happening in my home. I naturally start craving lighter layers, softer textures, and spaces that simply breathe better for the season.

Here are the fabrics I find myself reaching for most during the warmer months and why they work so beautifully in summer homes, especially here in Bend, Oregon.

When I walk into a kitchen renovation, I’m not thinking about finishes first. I know that surprises people. Everyone wants to talk about stone, cabinet color, hardware, those are the fun parts. But I always start somewhere quieter: how the kitchen actually works.

In Bend, kitchens tend to feel very lived in…

Spring in Bend always makes me want to open every window, move furniture slightly, and fix everything that has been quietly bothering me all winter.

As an interior designer, I love this season, not because it demands big renovations, but because it rewards thoughtful, targeted updates. The kind you feel immediately, without tearing your whole home apart.

So whether you’re setting a table for Easter, a casual dinner with friends, or just a quiet evening at home, here’s how I like to create a spring tablescape that feels simple, warm, and inviting.

As an interior designer, I don’t approach spring trends as a shopping list. I see them as clues, little hints about how people want to live right now.

So if you’re looking for spring interior design trends for 2026, here’s my honest take: what feels exciting, what feels livable, and what will still feel good long after the season changes.

Mirrors are one of those design elements people treat as purely practical — especially above vanities or tucked into hallways. Functional. Expected. Safe. But honestly? That’s where the opportunity is. Why not make it art?

Everyone’s talking about interior design trends for 2026…
but as a designer, I think we’re asking the wrong question.

Instead of “What’s in?” or “What’s out?”
I’m always asking: How do you want to live in your home —and how do you want it to feel?

So here’s my take.

This year, I wanted to bring together twelve little inspirations that make my home feel warm, festive, and full of heart. Consider this a hand curated collection of the simple things that bring me joy throughout the season, that may give you some of the same holiday spark in turn!

November always feels like a pause for me—a quiet in-between moment before the rush of the holidays begins. The golden leaves have mostly fallen, the mornings are crisp, and there’s this lovely sense of slowing down that seems to settle over everything. It’s the time of year when I find myself craving simplicity at home.

As the days get shorter and the temperatures drop here in Bend, I always find myself reaching for a good book—and thinking about the little libraries we create in our homes. Whether it’s a proper built-in with floor-to-ceiling shelves or just a few well-loved stacks by the sofa, I think every home deserves a space for books.

Everywhere you go—on the trails, at the breweries, even running errands—you’ll see dogs happily tagging along with their humans. And when you have pets that are such a big part of your life, it just makes sense to design your home with them in mind.

Over the years, I’ve learned that creating a beautiful, functional space doesn’t mean sacrificing comfort for your four-legged family members. In fact, thoughtful design can make life easier for everyone. Here are a few of my favorite ways to blend style and pet-friendly living:

When the Bend summer sun is blazing, I notice two things: how quickly a room can heat up, and how much I appreciate good window coverings. Living in Central Oregon, where we get plenty of sunshine in the summer and chilly snaps in the winter, energy-efficient window treatments aren’t just a nice-to-have—they’re a must.

When my client first reached out, they had just relocated from Seattle to Bend, Oregon and were ready for a new chapter. Recently retired, they bought a home centrally located in downtown Bend. While the kitchen, was technically updated and functional, it felt cold and sterile. With all the grays and sharp edges, it lacked soul. After years of Seattle’s cloudy palette, my clients were craving something warmer—something that felt alive.

When summer rolls into Bend, everything outside feels alive—lush, wild, a little sun-kissed. I always find myself wanting to bring some of that life indoors. And for me, plants are one of the easiest and most rewarding ways to do it.